Third-Trimester Glucose Homeostasis in Healthy Women Is Differentially Associated with Human Milk Oligosaccharide Composition at 2 Months Postpartum by Secretor Phenotype.

Jessica L Saben,Ann Abraham,Clark R Sims,Lars Bode,Aline Andres

doi:10.3390/nu12082209

Abstract

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are bioactive molecules in human milk that play a critical role in infant health. Obesity and associated metabolic aberrations can negatively impact lactation and alter milk composition. Here, the relationship between maternal glucose homeostasis and HMO composition from 136 healthy women was examined. Maternal glucose homeostasis (fasting plasma glucose and insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, and insulin sensitivity index) was evaluated at 30 weeks of gestation in healthy women (body mass index = 18.5–35 kg/m2). Human milk samples were collected at two months postpartum. HMO concentrations were measured via high performance liquid chromatography. Women were categorized into “secretor” and “non-secretor” groups based on 2′-Fucosyllactose concentrations (<100 nmol/mL, non-secretor). Pearson’s correlation analysis and linear models were used to assess the relationships between maternal glucose homeostasis and HMO concentrations. In non-secretors, third trimester fasting plasma glucose and insulin were negatively associated with total HMO-bound sialic acid and concentrations of the sialylated HMOs 3′-sialyllactose and disialylacto-N-tetraose. In secretors, difucosyllactose and lacto-N-fucopentaose-II concentrations increased and sialyllacto-N-tetraose c and sialyllacto-N-tetraose b decreased as insulin sensitivity increased. This study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between obesity-associated maternal factors and HMO composition in both secretor and non-secretor populations.

Highlights

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant class of biomolecules in human milk after lactose and lipids, contributing to about 20% of total milk carbohydrates. most HMOs are not digested, HMOs play a critical role in infant health through prebiotic and immunomodulatory actions [1]
The mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.483 kg/m2 and women gained on average ~12 kg over the course of pregnancy
Very few studies have reported on HMO concentrations in non-secretor populations most likely because non-secretors are the minority and many studies had small sample size to assess this group

Summary

Introduction

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant class of biomolecules in human milk after lactose and lipids, contributing to about 20% of total milk carbohydrates. most HMOs are not digested, HMOs play a critical role in infant health through prebiotic and immunomodulatory actions [1]. HMOs promote the colonization of beneficial microbes, such as beneficial Bifidiobacterium species in the infant gut, preventing the growth of other harmful bacteria [2]. HMOs reduce the risk of infections, by acting as antimicrobials that can mimic structures of viral receptors, providing a competitive advantage in preventing viral attachment to intestinal cells [3]. HMOs have proven beneficial toward the protection from necrotizing enterocolitis [4] and Nutrients 2020, 12, 2209; doi:10.3390/nu12082209 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients. Nutrients 2020, 12, 2209 can signal to intestinal epithelial cells influencing gene expression, gastrointestinal development, and dampening inflammation [5]. Environmental and/or maternal factors that influence biosynthesis and composition of HMOs could, in theory, have a profound impact on these beneficial aspects of HMOs for breastfed infants

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion